Dragon Bond
by M.L. Groves
Summary: King Jude, the first King of Fiore, held back a smile as hope ignited inside of him. He had a chance and he would take it. His people will have their new home and they would be safe! The Dragons, Lords of this land, would make sure of it!
1. Once Upon a Time

_Once upon a time unknown and lost to legend…_

It had all started with a great wind: a terrible howling of force that sent many armored men off their horses. It shrieked and the animals quaked in fear or fled, despite their rider's attempts to calm them. Many of the men wished to run as well, but held fast to their courage and steeled themselves against the heavy blows. Then it was followed by a thunderous roaring, much louder than the wind and the very air around them steamed with a sudden heat. Even more ran, all save a few.

A tall man, thick and burly, stood out amongst the rest. He road no horse- it had ran long ago- but still he commanded a presence that those who stayed willfully followed. Despite the dangerous ground he walked on, an aura of authority surrounded him and determination sparked in his golden brown eyes. This wind and heat could not move him, he would not allow it. He was a King, and he would not fail.

"My Lord!" Against the buffeting wind, one of his followers yelled, forcibly holding himself upright. "My Lord, they know we are here. We should fall back and reform our strategy! Please, my Lord!"

He was met with silence as the large man continued his trek and feared that the King they would give their lives for was about to give them that chance to do so. He tried to yell again, but his King paid him no mind. Only when he finally gave up and motioned for those remaining to follow, did his majesty respond.

"You lot," He commanded, voice strong and dead set, "stay back. This is now my journey to take and mine alone. Wait for me."

"My Lord?"

"No, let us come with you!"

"They'll surely kill you!"

Many protested, he did not listen, but they stood still- too loyal to disobey.

The wind's howl grew in strength and the King continued on. With each step he shed his armor, now too hot to handle it. The roaring in his ears increased the further he went up the mountain path, but still he walked on. The King did not falter or allow even a shadow of doubt to cross his face. He was here for a matter of life and death. He would not hesitate. He could not. Nothing could stop him.

As he finally reached the point where plants even refused to grow, he stopped his march and looked upon the cliff face that trembled in anger. He felt the heat, the wind and even his bones knew of the tremor that roared around him. It was a wild storm of threats and anger. He had reached the distance when the rattlesnake was more than ready to strike. Instead of feeling threatened, he grasped the warm circlet on his brow and cast it to the ground. With a deep breath, he allowed his own shout to join the crescendo that surrounded him.

"I am Jude Heartfilia, the First! I am King of the Fiore people, but now I cast off my crown and come as just a man. Please, hear me and let us speak!" His claim resembled that of a roar, but it was swallowed up by the one that covered the mountain.

To a man who knew nothing, it would look as if the King shouted to nothing. He would look as if he raved madly and had been turned insane by the sheer force of will the summit possessed. Instead, the roaring silenced to a low growl, the heat simmered and even the wind stopped its furious breathing. The King did not relax and looked upon the rocky crevices; he waited as silence overtook everything. It was a foreboding silence that pressed down on all sides until it felt just as crushing as the previous wind.

Then there was movement, slight and hardly seen, but it shook the ground and the King knew: something almost as large as the mountain itself was near and it watched him.

"What would you have us speak of, Jude, son of the Fiore man?" The voice trembled like a great calamity and almost brought him to his knees.

"What is important enough that we might care to listen?" The next was a soft caress, full of mockery.

"Why not just eat you?" The third made his bones grate and creak.

The voices were growls that scratched his mind and soon he did succumb, falling to his knees in awe. They were both beautiful and terrifying to hear and he knew that this could very well become his grave. The human King closed his eyes, for just a moment, and allowed the will that comes to a man responsible for many to spring forth from his being. If this was to be his final moments, then he would go down strong, not as a coward- not as a weakling.

"We have trespassed into your domain," He answered, but was clearly unrepentant. "But I have come to request permission. To ask for an alliance. I wish to initiate the Dragon Bond! So that my people will know peace and will never have to fear the loss of a home once again!"

He felt more than heard the growls that issued forth and the whispers in the air that cut his mind as if the land itself deliberated his fate. It felt as if all eternity happened in those scant moments, but in no time at all, the King had his answer.

"The Dragon Bond cannot be taken lightly."

"What have you to offer us?"

"We will see if it is worth our time, human."

King Jude, the first King of Fiore, held back a smile as hope ignited inside of him. He had a chance and he would take it. His people will have their new home and they would be safe! The Dragons, Lords of this land, would make sure of it!

_To be continued…_


	2. Year X769

"_To make a Bond with a Dragon, one must be willing to uphold the promise made and be ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. To do less, is sacrilege "_

* * *

_**Year: X769**_

Lucy Heartfilia was unaware of the birds that scattered when she dashed through the garden, tiny feet pattering against the cobblestone path with every step she took. She didn't notice her hair had fallen from its bun or that her silk slippers were becoming dirty from dust and dirt. As she took corners around bushes and giant shrubberies, the Princess of Fiore had only one thought in mind worth her attention and that was escape.

She paused for a moment, gasping for air and looked wildly around her. Take the next left turn or should she take the right? Her choice might be the difference between saving herself or being caught, but which would be the correct one? Her face scrunched up in thought as she struggled to decide, but stiffened when behind her echoed the irate shouts of her tutor, who was rounding a rose bush with his face purpling in outrage. Her choice was made instantly as she dove herself under the nearby swan fountain. Its vines draped off its sides to allow trickles of water to spill out in the sunlight and provided the perfect cover.

It was good that she had been dressed in green that day, she could hardly tell where she began or where the plants did with her chosen place and she struggled to control her breathing before her captor came upon her.

She had settled herself none too soon. The pudgy outline of her tutor, whose bald head shined, came upon the juncture she had just stood upon. His clothes were bright colors and looked far too layered for the heat of the day. It made Lucy hot just looking at him. He wiped his brow with a handkerchief from his coat pocket and she held back a giggle when he stared about in desperate abandon.

"Blast! I thought she'd gone this way… "He gasped out, looking down both paths to see if there was any sign of her. She slowly moved further under the brambles that grew around the fountain and covered her mouth. "Oh why did she decide of all days to abandon her studies? The King will tan my hide for sure!"

Taking the right path, he started his labored running once again and began shouting for her loudly. Even more birds flew off then, trilling unhappily as their time in the garden was disturbed. "Princess Lucy! Where are you? Princess Lucy!" His voice drawled out and echoed as he ran farther away.

The princess held her breath and waited until she could no longer hear his footsteps and let out a relieved giggle. Success! Smiling in self-satisfaction, she crawled her way back out. It had been a close one and for a moment she feared she would have been caught. Her own stealth amazed her sometimes! She giggled once more and began walking the paths calmly, skipping every so often and smelling the different flowers every so often. She truly loved being in the garden, but sometimes that old stiff just wouldn't let her out to play in it! It was most unfair!

She didn't usually duck out of studying as she knew it was terribly important to be a well-educated princess, (That and her Father would scold her and she didn't want that.) but it was just so hard to keep focus when the day was so nice! The castle was peaceful during this time of year, spring was slowly melting into summer and her father had gone away to visit some foreign dignitaries. Everyone was more relaxed when he was out and about and Lucy was no exception. So why not take a break from learning? That overly-clothed teacher of hers didn't seem to understand that at all! So it was only naturally that she'd run away for the day.

It also didn't help the issue that today's studies were entirely focused on reading maps and understanding the different locations of the neighboring kingdoms. She was ten years old, how could they expect her to have the attention span for that? No, she'd rather just smell the lilies nearby and let her tutor freak out for the day. What could he truly do to her anyway, punish her? She giggled at the absurdity of it, but frowned at the same time. Only her father could do that.

_'I'm sure Mama would have given me a day off…_' She thought glumly for a mere moment, before the sight of a blue-jay caught her attention and she ran off the path once more to follow it. Maybe if she was lucky, she could find its nest…

It was hard to follow a fast- moving bird when you could only run on two legs, but Lucy tried. She crossed path after path, dashed through the bushes and laughed as she went. Ahead, she saw a large white tree and knew she was nearing the center of the garden. Her chest swelled and her laughter rang out. This was her favorite place in the entire courtyard. In her excitement, she sped up and stepped back out onto the path.

"Oh shi-watch out!" A voice shouted loudly in her ear two seconds before she had the wind knocked out of her and was barreled to the ground in a flurry of limbs and pained howls. Her shriek sent the blue-jay flying further away and off in an unknown direction. Lucy would have pouted, but was busy gasping for air as she found herself suddenly crushed to the ground by another body a little larger than hers with spiky hair tickling her nose.

"Ow, th-that hurt!" She cried out, struggling to remove the person from her body who seemed in just as much of a hurry to move as she. Their struggles persisted and she was surprised to notice that it was a boy who had knocked her over.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to run over you, but I didn't expect someone to just appear out of the bushes! Don't you know that's what a path is for?" He spoke fast and the apology was lost amidst his rambling. Rough, raw hands grabbed her own as he pulled her up to her feet, grinning wildly and laughing. "You're kind of weird aren't you?"

Feeling a little overwhelmed, Lucy wasn't sure what the correct protocol was for this situation, but she did know that it wasn't polite to call someone weird after knocking them to the ground. With a sniff, she opened her mouth to say as much, but was surprised when she got a good look at her assailant. Was that pink hair? Her jaw drew slack –a most unseemly sight for a princess- and she blinked dumbly. He was still grinning and sharp little points for teeth were revealed to her. This… boy called her weird?

He suddenly frowned and tilted his head at her curious. "Hey, I didn't knock your head silly did I? Don't you know how to talk? You really are strange…"

That knocked her from her stupor and she stamped her foot in consternation, "Stop being rude! I'm not weird I'm the princ-" His face changed to a look of terror as he interrupted her with his hand clamped over her mouth. She mentally sputtered. Did this boy ever hold still?

"Shh! I think she's coming…" He hissed out, glancing behind him in concern. She raised an eyebrow, who was she? Actually, who was he for that matter? She didn't recognize him and he was dressed too poorly to be a royal… In fact his entire state of dress would have made her think him straight off the streets. His leather jerkin was dusty and battered and he looked as if he'd just been in a fight too. Should she be worried? Lucy considered kicking him and running off, but her curiosity glued her in place.

His hand was still on her mouth and she was just about to bite it in annoyance when shouts echoed into the air. Her and the boy both stiffened.

"Dragneel! I know you ran this way, get your ass back here right now before I get stern!" The voice that yelled was a young woman's and the anger it revealed was enough to make Lucy shiver right along with the boy. He squeaked and looked around for a place to hide. When more voices joined the woman's he seemed to give up and looked at Lucy in fright.

"Crap! I can't get caught with you like this! Come on, before they find us!" Before Lucy could understand what he was talking about, his hand grabbed hers and he was running off down the beaten path, dragging her right behind him.

"H-hey! Let go of me!" She struggled to loosen his grip and nearly tripped over herself and he growled in frustration.

"No time! Just hurry!" He suddenly turned them off the path and took off down a narrow niche between the stone walls and the bushes and soon even Lucy felt they were lost. Just what in the world was going on? This was not what she had imagined when she decided to take a day off for herself!

His name was Natsu Dragneel and he was only two years older than her. After his refusal to release her, Lucy's curiosity had gotten the better of her and she had followed behind him willingly. He had been quick on his feet and seemed to know all the little alcoves to hide in. She hadn't even been aware of half of them, but when they had found a good spot near the entrance to the servants quarters, Lucy had finally caught a glimpse of who had been chasing them.

She had recognized the redheaded woman instantly as the newest and younger trainer for the captain's guards. The boy had twitched just at the sight of her and she found she couldn't blame him. She had heard the stories of how this girl had risen in the ranks so quickly and knew her to be a fearsome woman, but why had he been running in the first place?

When she asked him, he blinked at her for a few moments and stared as if he had forgotten she knew how to talk Judging from the amount she had been able to say so far, Lucy guessed that might not have been far from the truth. After the stare he gave her grew more intense by the second and she was just about ready to snap, he grinned wildly, puffed out his chest and answered.

"It's because I was supposed to spar with her today, that's why!" He stated proudly and it was Lucy's turn to stare.

"You…spar with her?" She said incredulously, but he was so young…

"Yup!" He cracked his knuckles, "I'm training to be a knight and today was my day to train with Erza! I was all fired up and everything this morning! She's a monster!"

Lucy wasn't sure that calling someone a monster and grinning about it was normal, but she was far too busy processing the information he just gave her to call it out. He certainly didn't look like a knight in training. He wasn't even dressed like a squire, but his excitement was rather refreshing and she couldn't help, but smile in return. It was rather interesting actually-

-wait, "If you were so happy to spar with her then why were you running away?"

He frowned again and the fear gleamed back in his eyes. Lucy was still having a hard time getting used to his mood changes, he seemed to flit back and forth from one emotion to the other so fast that she was having difficulty keeping up.

"I was running because she was angry at me." He stated simply, glancing around as if he thought she could hear him. "I stuck a centipede in her armor and she couldn't wait to get her hands on me. I can take her just fine on a normal day, but not when she's angry! You do NOT want to fight Erza when she's angry!" The intensity in his eyes as he said this to her made her nod her head and gulp though it wasn't as if she'd ever be in such a situation.

"…. You kind of deserve being beat by her then." She responded, thinking about how she would react to a bug being put in her clothes. She grimaced at the thought and had various visions in her head of punching him herself. (This was a thought she had to carefully ignore. Princesses are not supposed to be violent.)

"Maybe, but hearing her shriek was the greatest! She never does that!" He started laughing loudly again, rather proud of himself and Lucy couldn't help it when she realized she liked his laugh: Just a little. He was interesting; Far more interesting than studying those maps.

"Oh!" She let out a gasp and frowned, "I haven't introduced myself!" How could she have forgotten to finish giving her name? He obviously didn't know who she was, which was weird, but how could she have let him tell her his name without returning the favor? He didn't seem too concerned and shrugged. This Natsu was really something else.

"You don't have to." He said plainly and she pouted. Did he not want to be her friend? That was just mean, but she realized, what if he treated her differently once he realized who she was? Would he apologize profusely and run off from her as well? She shook her head and willed herself to think differently.

Standing up, she curtsied to him, as was only proper and smiled brightly at him. "I do have to, it's only polite!" He tried to say something, but she waved her hand and interrupted him. "Do not interrupt! You gave me your name, it is only fair! Natsu Dragneel, I am Lucy Heartfilia, the Princess of Fiore." She was surprised to feel her heart pounding, worried towards his reaction.

She didn't expect him to break out into his rather large grin again as he chuckled at her and shook his head. "You really are a weirdo. You didn't have to tell me because I knew already! I'm training to be a knight, it would be rather stupid of me to not know you were the princess!"

Wait what? He knew? She flushed and looked down at her feet, not sure what to say, but he didn't seem to realize her awkwardness and placed a hand on her head.

"Also, I have to know who you are," He added, voice full of pride, "I'm being trained to be YOUR guard after all." Her head flung back up and she gasped.

What did she need a guard for? Didn't they have a Royal Guard for that? Lucy couldn't find her words as the boy continued laughing at her.

"Stop laughing at me!" She managed to shout out, but his laughter only grew.

She didn't know it, but this was the start of her very first friendship.

"_To break a bond made between Dragons is to call upon the wrath of hell."_

* * *

**A/n: Now that I've posted this part, I'd just like to say that I do not own Fairy Tail in any shape or form. (Except for the DvD's and manga on my bookshelf.) I hope you enjoy the story, more is to come! **


	3. Eight Years Later

**Eight Years Later**

"I was surprised to see Warren outside my door when I woke up. Do you have any idea why, Natsu?" Her foot tapped on the floor in a rhythm that hid nothing: she was agitated. Even the delicate tapping caused by her slippers did nothing to ease the tension in the air as she waited for an answer.

"It must be because you're weird." He answered nonchalantly as he balanced himself on two legs of a chair stationed by her desk. Natsu grinned widely and continued, "Only you would be surprised at a guard for guarding your door, Luce." The fury that lit in her brown eyes at that very moment made his grin grow to a full blown smile. The Princess was so funny when she was angry. With a huff, she crossed her arms and inelegantly blew hair out of her face. The glare she gave him was supposed to be threatening, but he couldn't find it in himself to feel even remotely in danger.

"No, I would be surprised because my own _bodyguard_ wasn't there like he was supposed to be- and don't call me weird!" She hissed venomously and the foot tap became a light stomp as she approached him, her night gown shifted with her movements and briefly reminded him that she wasn't normally dressed in her bedclothes by the time he was allowed into her room.

"Hey, why aren't you dressed yet?" He found himself asking, suddenly puzzled.

If possible, the Princess of Fiore became even angrier, "Because I'm admonishing you, moron!" She snapped back, "now tell me, where were you?"

Well, that was an easy answer, "Fairy Tail."

She froze at that and a jealous glint appeared in her eye before she seethed out, "So you went to he only mage-friendly bar in town instead of guarding me. You know, the one you were trained to watch over since childhood?"

"That's why Warren was there, to make sure you weren't unguarded. You're a little slow today aren't you?" The thin fingers that gripped his shoulders and the murderous rage that darkened her face suddenly made him realize his error and he gulped. "H-hey! Even I'm allowed a free night every now and then!"

Her fingers slid off him and she sighed in irritation. "Shut up. Just shut up! I'm stuck here constantly and Father won't let me out without a ten-guard escort, much less to a mage-friendly bar and you just go there whenever. How am I supposed to feel about that?" She stepped back slightly and rubbed her eyebrows. "Honestly Natsu, can't you at least show up in the morning on time?"

He would have argued, or at the very least, he would have answered her, but the girl he had befriended when he was still in training had found a new way to distract his thought process. Sitting forward, he cocked his head at her and his wide grin sprouted once more. "Don't be like that Luce, they would love you since you're a mage too!" If he had been hoping to cheer her up, his words had the opposite effect on her. In seconds she had tackled him to the very chair he balanced on, effectively knocking them both over, and had covered his mouth with her hand to silence him.

"Idiot!" She hissed quietly, "don't go around saying that out loud! Father's guards might hear you!" His eyes widened at her words and he promptly shook his head as a muffled 'sorry!' erupted through her fingers. Lucy let out a relieved sigh and relaxed lightly, "Honestly, sometimes I wonder how you got as far as you did in the guard with an absent-mind like that."

When she released him from her fingers, he smirked and replied, "I got this far because I kick ass at fighting, you weirdo."

Lucy shook her head in exasperation and finally let out a small laugh. He continued to smile at her. He liked it when they were like this. Not as a princess and her bodyguard, but just two friends enjoying each other's company. He wondered why she couldn't be this relaxed all the time? Natsu thought about asking her, but found himself laughing right along with her instead. So what if he accidently blabbed that she was a mage out loud. Her father may not have known that she studied in secret, but he knew that no one else heard him. Sometimes she was just too paranoid.

Their laughter was cut short by the large chamber doors opening and a petite girl dressed in a nice, but plain gown stepped in. She blinked dumbly at the sight of the two of them on the floor- limbs akimbo and shut the door just as quickly as she opened it. With a hand on her hip and the other at her mouth, she giggled lightly despite the beginning flush on her cheeks and appraised the two of them.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something, your highness?"

Natsu sat them both up quickly, smile never leaving his face. He barely even registered when Lucy bounced off his lap, straightened her chemise and immediately began uttering denials as fast as her lips could move. "No! You're not interrupting anything at all! Come in, I've been waiting for you!" She seemed to continue muttering under her breath at this point as she stalked towards her vanity, hair covering her now bright red face.

He figured now was as good a time as any to greet Lucy's handmaiden. "Hiya, Lisanna! Are you going to be at the bar tonight?" He didn't notice the angry stare that suddenly came from behind a curtain of blonde hair.

With a soft smile, she nodded her head and laughed at him, "Of course, silly. It is my evening off after all." With an excited grin, the body guard uprighted the chair and promptly began balancing on it again, but she paid him no mind. She was now looking towards Lucy with a sudden expression of business. "Lucy, you're going to have to dress extra nice today. Your father wants to see you as soon as possible. He said he has something really important to tell you. "

Lucy's shoulders stiffened and she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "There aren't any celebrations coming up, what could he possibly want?" Lisanna did not seem surprised by the monotone calm that came from her question.

"I really don't know, but he insisted that I help you quickly." The air in the room seemed to drop in temperature as Lucy straightened her back and nodded. She never did like having _'discussions'_ with her father, the King of Fiore, and Lisanna knew this. There had been many times when she found the princess in tears at her desk and she had done her best to calm her. Both girls gave looks of understanding to one another that spoke far more volumes than actual words and quickly turned their eyes on Natsu when the chair creaked from his abuse.

"Well, if he wants me there soon, we best get started then." Lucy said gravelly, eyeing her bodyguard with a tense gaze.

"Yes, my thoughts exactly." Lisanna agreed, training her eyes upon the pink-haired man as well. She couldn't help the small smile that came loose at the sight of him balancing precariously, completely unaware of their conversation.

It took him a few seconds to realize he was the center of attention again and he abruptly stopped rocking the chair to question them. "Huh, what are you looking at me for?"

"Natsu, the Lady Lucy is in need of getting dressed." Lisanna said softly, an amused smile dancing along her lips. "That can only mean one thing."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

It was Lucy who answered this time, with a point to her door she ordered, "Natsu, get out, now!" The man let out a surprised yelp when both females advanced upon him, grabbed his shoulders and forced him out the chamber doors. In seconds, the hall greeted him and the door slammed shut behind him.

With that, the body guard of Princess Lucy, was efficiently kicked out and forced to wait.

An hour later, Princess Lucy was heralded by guards and servants as she walked the halls of Magnolia Castle. Many bowed their heads and gave their respect and others complimented the soft pink gown she had been forced into not thirty minutes before. The corset hugged her curves and the skirts draped along her legs elegantly as she walked past. With each greeting and compliment, the Princess smiled a light, fond smile, and graciously thanked them as she walked by. Her back held straight and not a hair stood out of place. Compared to the girl in her bedclothes this morning, she was a completely different person.

Alongside her, walked Ser Dragneel, body guard and knight to Princess Lucy. He stood a head taller than her and despite his tries to keep his back straight; he still looked more like a predator stalking the halls in comparison to the princess. His eyes were alert and darted to every corner as he escorted his charge and his every step oozed strength. However, from time to time, the ferocity of his gaze would dim as he would pass by a guard he knew and he'd smile with a wave or they would turn around a corner and he'd slump his shoulders, tired of the constant need to stand up straight. Each time he did this, he was subtly elbowed into fixing his posture, but he never stayed that way for long.

Each time a blow met his ribcage, he'd grunt and mutter under his breath, "Luce, it's not like we're going anywhere formal!"

Her response was always the same, "Right now, it's 'Your Highness' or 'Princess,' Ser Dragneel. Please remember that."

He followed that with a snort and continued on down the stone halls that were alit in torches that never went out and was covered in portraits of dragons and men in shining mail upon terrified horses. She was always like this when others could see her and these were the times he wished they could go back to her room. He hated having to be so serious and he hated the tightness he saw in her shoulders too. It just took the fun out of everything. Even the gloriously decorated walls seemed gloomy.

They continued down the path, with Lucy's obvious anxiety making it hard for Natsu to swallow. Every time he walked her the distance to her father's study was an equivalent to forgetting how to breathe. She never liked going to see him; he knew this and the walk down the many halls only made it worse with every step they took. By the time they reached the oaken doors, decorated in mighty dragons with swooping talons towards the doorknobs, he swore he could taste her apprehension. For Princess Lucy, speaking with her Father, Jude Heartfilia the 8th, was akin to eating nails and walking on hot coals, and he mentally winced as the doors opened to let them in. A big part of his mind screamed to turn around, grab his charge and move to somewhere more comforting to the both of them, but instead, he followed behind her as she stepped across the threshold and into the King's study.

The study was not as heavily decorated as the halls and seemed quaint considering who it belonged to. Everything was in its place, with books aligning the walls and desks were covered in maps and treaties that Lucy recalled having to read over so many times that she lost count through the years. In the middle of it all, with light shining down from the large windows behind him, sat her father. His presence alone demanded respect and her back straightened at the sight of him. To look upon him, one would think he had a board tied to his back.

Beside him was his Chancellor, Artor- though no one called him by name, and they were speaking in hushes voices. Lucy felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach. Nothing ever good came from her father speaking with the chancellor before conversing with her. It usually involved a new study regime or worse- a critique on her etiquette. According to the bald-headed man that deigned himself her teacher, she was never quite elegant enough for a princess and he often complained about it. She stepped further into the room, not making a sound and patiently waited. She knew better than to interrupt them.

She didn't have to. With one step onto the plush fabric of the rug, her Father's eyes met hers and hardened into something close to resignation. "Lucy," He drawled in a voice that broke no room to answer in return, "so you finally decided to arrive, have you?" She felt herself stiffen at the look of disapproval he gave her and she lightly bit the inside of her lip. His voice was too accusing as if he thought she meant to take as long as she did. Behind her, she felt Natsu tense up and was glad when he managed to keep his mouth shut.

"Yes Father." She answered as calmly as she could muster. "I came as soon as Lisanna had me dressed."

"Learn to dress quicker." He snapped back before his eyes slid to his Chancellor. "Leave us. I'll summon you if I have any need." The man blinked in surprise before he bowed smoothly and turned to leave in a swath of robes and silks that made Lucy hot just looking at him. She still never quite understood how that man walked in all those layers.

She was brought out of her brief reverie by the voice of her father snapping once more. "You too, Dragneel. She has no need of you here." With a start, she realized her own bodyguard was being dismissed and she fought the urge to turn and see his face. He never did like it when he was ordered away and she quietly prayed that he wouldn't say anything. Natsu had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth, even towards the very man that could have him fired on the spot.

Lucy was surprised when she didn't even hear a grunt of acknowledgment, but instead the heavy footsteps of her guard as he swiftly turned and left the room, not even bothering to check the door before it slammed shut. She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding and kept her gaze trained on her fathers. His glared at the door behind her for merely a moment before they slid back on hers.

"Sometimes I forget how rude your guard is." He muttered in annoyance as he straightened papers on his desk. "No matter, I don't pay him to be smart or proper. Come closer Lucy, I have matters to discuss with you."

Immediately, she bowed her head and stepped forward until she was five paces away from where he sat. She knew better than to move directly in front of him or to even touch the table he worked on. She had learned long ago that there was a certain amount of distance he liked her to keep and she wasn't about to break it now. "Has something happened?" She asked lightly.

"Not yet." He responded as he assessed the gown she wore, "but I will have to order one of the servants to get you some new formal ball gowns."

Lucy wasn't fast enough to hide her surprise as she asked softly, "Ball gowns? I thought our next celebration was not until fall…"

"You thought wrong." His voice cut over hers like a knife and she fell silent. "We are having some changes made within the next few months and you will have to act accordingly for them. I've already had it arranged that our neighboring Kingdoms will visit in the coming months. We will be visited by Crocus, Providence, Bosco and the Principality of Hakobe. They will be here for dances, hunting parties, and we will be discussing our border disputes. Do you understand Lucy?"

Ah, so they were inviting others to their castle? That was odd. "I am surprised. We are the strongest Kingdom, what need do we have to discuss border desputes? Surely we're not being threatened." To her, this was a valid question. Fiore was known as the strongest Kingdom in the Northern lands, no one dared to bother them.

"A ridiculous statement: Of course we're not." He agreed tersely, "They're vying for your hand."

She froze and the drop in her stomach returned full force, "…. I'm sorry; I don't think I heard you?" She couldn't have heard him right.

"Your hearing is just fine Lucy. You're going to be meeting suitors during these events and I want you prepared to look your best. Do I make myself clear?" He narrowed his brown eyes and it felt as it weights were being dropped upon her shoulders.

"-but Father I-!"

"Lucy!"

She inwardly slumped. "… yes Father. I understand." Her eyes were suddenly burning and she bowed her head to hide it. "When are we expecting them?"

Lucy didn't see his hand wave, but his voice was dismissive that she could picture it. "Three months. You may go now. We will discuss more on a later date. I have to prepare for court."

Muttering a swift good-bye as she curtsied, Lucy tried her best to walk gracefully out the doors, even as she rushed to get through them.

She wasn't surprised when Natsu took step beside her as soon as she had stepped into the hallway. Her pace was fast and her steps echoed along the walls as she quickly ushered herself to one of the more evacuated hallways. He knew where she was going and stayed silent. Once they had reached the wing nearest the library, her steps finally slowed down and she allowed herself to slump, hair sliding through its bun and shoulders sagging. He took his queue and patted her shoulder reassuringly.

"Well," He said in amusement, "you were always telling me how you couldn't wait to meet your Prince Charming, right?" The surprised stare she gave him was enough to bring out his wide grin. "Why do you look surprised? You should already know that I could hear that entire conversation."

She blinked at him for a moment, slightly grinning in spite of herself and shook her head. "This is not the way I imagined meeting my _prince charming_, Natsu, and I'm amazed you even remembered that." He sputtered for a moment, insulted, but she placed her hands on her hips and continued, "Why is your hearing so good, anyway? I never understood that."

"Luce, I've told you before! Is your memory that terrible?" He placed his arms behind his head and stepped ahead of her to the library entrance, ready to push open the doors at any time.

"Humor me."

The rolled his eyes before his chest puffed out and he stated proudly, "It's because of my magic! I'm a fire mage, remember?" The look of pure disbelief she gave him almost made his ego deflate, but he pushed on with an even larger grin. "Come on, you can't just not believe me."

Lucy shook her head and finally stepped up to the doors herself, "Yes I can, because that makes no sense. Fire magic has nothing to do with your hearing." He grumbled his denial and glanced to the side almost sheepishly and her eyes narrowed. "You're not just saying that to me are you? Why do you really have such bionic hearing?"

He was quiet for a moment, eyes off to the side and clearly pouting before he muttered lowly, "I wonder…." She never did find out the rest of his sentence though as he turned to face her with a stern glare and grabbed her shoulders. Natsu held her place as he stared hard for a few moments and she felt her insides start to squirm. Just what was he doing?

"Err Natsu, can you let go of-"

He interrupted her, "Warren's going to be guarding your room again tonight." Her insides turned to cold, hard fury and the lighthearted mood they had created was suddenly ruined. With a growl of agitation, Lucy swung his arms off her shoulders and poked him hard in the chest.

"You are SUCH a shoddy guard! You're going back to that bar again, aren't you? Don't you have an OUNCE of responsibility in that body of yours?!" She was ready to prod him harder, but he merely kept on grinning and started chuckling. "Stop laughing! It's not fair! I should forbid you to go!"

His voice was so certain that she felt her ire simmer, "You'd never do that to me Luce." She narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't deny his statement. Natsu grabbed his chin and looked thoughtful for a few moments, clearly amused and she had to fight the urge to growl at him again. There might have been no one by the Library at this time of day, but she was still a princess and out in the open, she really needed to watch how she acted more… His intense gaze was back on hers, thoughtful again and she lost track of her thought process, "Hey Luce…"

"What?" Why was he looking at her like that again? It was a little unnerving…

"Do you remember what to do if you ever need me right? You know, when I'm too far away to hear you?" She stared at him, dumbfounded, where had that come from? It was an out of the blue question, but the glint in his eyes showed her that he was serious. Lucy always found his serious side almost as hard to handle as his more boisterous one and nodded her head.

"What do you mean too far to hear me?" She grinned, teasing him even as her hand reached for the pendant around her neck. It was a small little crystal wrapped in wire, infused of magic that would immediately inform him of her location if she ever broke it. Though she knew he must have been talking about that, she instead said, "If I ever need you, I just have to scream like a banshee and no matter where you are, you'll come running. That bionic hearing of yours isn't there for nothing, you know." It was his turn to blink then and she couldn't hold back the giggle or the grin that escaped.

He laughed with her then, and shook his head. "Luce, I thought you were smart, you know that's not what I meant…. Though my hearing is pretty amazing, it could possibly work…" She laughed again as he side-tracked himself. He shook his head and placed a calloused hand atop her head. "That doesn't matter though! What I'm trying to tell you is that it doesn't matter where I go. I'll always be able to find you."

His hand swung the doors open then as he ushered her inside the library, knowing full-well that she planned to read there to soothe her nerves from her earlier conversation with the King. He left her no time to respond to his promise as he saluted her and said, "I'll see you later, Luce!" Then he took off, down the hall towards the barracks, intent to have a few sparring matches with his fellow soldiers.

Lucy watched his back as he walked away, slightly red-faced with her heart pounding in her ears. Was it just her, or did those words for some reason seem more like a threat? Setting that aside, she turned away and made her way to her favorite sitting chair. A pile of books would already be there just waiting to be read and she couldn't wait to devour them.

It was later that night when all the torches had dimmed themselves and the hustle and bustle of the day had turned to mere echoes on the wall that Warren found himself leaning against the wall just outside Princess Lucy's bedchamber. It wasn't the first night he was asked to do this and nor was it the last, but he still found it to be a rather boring job. He was a member of the Mage Corpse, the elite knights of the Kingdom and standing around to make sure no one tried to pry the Princess' door open was probably one of the most boring jobs he could think of. Once upon a time, he could have used his magic to read her mind, possibly to entertain himself, but even that source of amusement had been taken from him when Natsu had threatened to singe his ears off. What kind of person threatens to singe someone's ears off anyway? That boy was clearly insane.

He sighed and glanced down the hallway, almost hoping to find something on its way. Maybe he should have Natsu ask someone else to guard the next time he felt like taking a night trip somewhere. Like most mages in Fiore, even he liked to go to the mage-friendly bar every once and awhile and it was startling to realize that the bodyguard was able to go there far more often than he. Maybe he could talk to Erza about it and set up a schedule. Warren grunted in exasperation and began to whistle.

"You're a pretty crappy guard, you know that?" The sudden voice by his ear caused the telepathic mage to almost shriek as he jumped in surprise. He managed to save himself from destroying his pride and gaped in astonishment as the very bodyguard he was thinking about crossed his arms and smiled menacingly. "You're supposed to catch people when they're coming, not get scared by them Warren!"

"Natsu?! What are you doing here?" A better question was, What am I doing here? Warren thought to himself as the fire mage laughed at his expense. "I thought we agreed I was guarding you tonight with you paying my tab off again, are you backing out?"

"No," the answer was swift, but only managed to confuse him more, "you're still guarding tonight, I just need to pick Lucy up."

Wait, what? His shoulders stiffened and he tried to process what he just heard. He'd never came and picked Lucy up before… it was night for crying out loud, the girl was probably already asleep! "She's sleeping Natsu, what would you possibly need to pick her up for?"

The pink-haired guard moved to his side and grabbed the doorknob, Warren fought back the urge to stop him, knowing full well he wouldn't be able to, but was surprised by the intense stare the mage gave the handle. Just what was going through that boy's mind? He considered trying to delve into it just then to find out.

"She's awake." Natsu interrupted his considerations with such assurance in his voice that Warren couldn't find it in himself to disbelieve him. "She's humming actually, probably being weird and brushing her hair or something." He really did have an amazing sense of hearing if he could catch that. "Anyway, keep guarding the doors alright? I'll bring her back later."

Before he could walk himself in, Warren sputtered and grabbed his arm, "Just what are you going to do?!" Strange, did he catch a scent of sulfur coming off his body? Just where had he been until now? Natsu slid his gaze over towards Warren's and gave him a reassuring grin.

"Don't worry. I planned this earlier today and would have just hopped in through her window, but wanted to make sure you didn't freak out." He turned the latch and said mischievously, "I'm just bringing her to Fairy Tail." Warren wasn't sure if he was truly better off knowing these plans or not, but found himself relaxing all the same. That couldn't be too bad, right? He was used to Natsu pulling stunts like this; surely he would be smart enough to not cause too much trouble, right?

Then he remembered just how rambunctious and gossip mongering that bar could get and he found himself shouting worriedly, "Wait, Natsu, that's not a good idea, what if the King found out?" He never received an answer, as the fire mage had already disappeared into her room with a well-placed click of the door shutting in Warren's face. He had a bad feeling about this…

_To be continued..._


	4. Just a Bunch of Mages

**Just a Bunch of Mages**

Magnolia was the heart of the Fiore Kingdom: a City covered in trees that changed to multiple colors once a year. It was nestled into the side of the largest Mountain Range in the Middle Kingdoms and its high walls boasted defense. This city had only one entrance and one exit and it sat upon the main road of the city. It lead outward, through a dense forest of trees so dark and green that many would be lost if they walked off the path, but once a traveler broke away from the foliage, the kingdom's land was rich of rolling hills, farmland and wildflowers. Once, long ago, the land was fought over and war raged across it for ownership, but the damages once done to the land were long gone and the kingdom flourished as the most uncontested for centuries. Many believed the strength of the Kingdom came from the King's highest form of Knights, the Mage Corpse.

It was not far from the truth, the mage corpse made up most of the Elite guard and army to the king and though magic was everywhere in this world, Fiore's men always seemed to carry the most potently destructive magic many had ever seen. For this, mages were widely respected.

Well, once were.

It had come with a price, but with the rise of King Jude the 8th, mages were now carefully watched. Those born with magic in their blood were taken and trained in the mage barracks and were forever the King's dogs and other forms of magic was highly regulated on the streets. It was a high price to keep Magnolia from being destroyed from within by such destructive mages and in time, even the townsfolk worried that a mage unmonitored could damage many a home.

And then there was Fairy Tail- the last remaining Tavern that bore the emblem of Magnolia and opened its doors to all mages at the same time. It was loud, always busy and well-known for its constant need of being repaired.

Lucy couldn't believe she was currently sitting at its counter as if she wasn't the daughter of the King and wasn't a complete stranger. Though not the correct word, since she had a brief idea of most of the mages in the city since they all worked for her family, but the atmosphere was different. She may as well have thought half the laughing drunks to be completely different people from the ones she watched training on the grounds from her library window.

With a self-conscious sigh, she appraised herself and frowned. She also couldn't believe she had been whisked away from her bedroom while in her house dress. It was so close to being her pajamas that she may as well have had bedhead. How Natsu had managed to get her out in the general public while dressed so improperly was a true mystery in and of itself, though she had a pretty good idea how her fool of a bodyguard had tricked her.

Yes: tricked her. She mentally seethed at the mass of pink hair across the room as the aforementioned guard sat at a table with a group of mages she barely recognized and laughed boisterously. He had most definitely tricked her, and was that man he just started yelling at Gray Fullbuster of the WatchGuard? Staring in amazement at her body guard and a member of the watch start to fight right in the middle of the room, Lucy wasn't entirely sure why no one else seemed as appalled by the display. How had he tricked her again?

She could practically play it through her head like a well-practiced script. The man had strolled into her room as if it were nothing and she could just hear Warren's cry of distress be cut short by her door slamming shut. Of course she had been confused, why was he here in the middle of night? In fact, why had he come after explicitly telling her he'd be gone for the night? In consternation, she had begun to order him to leave- a Princess cannot have a man in her room at night after all- and was close to violently tossing a chair at him when he had smiled brightly and said the one thing that made her freeze.

"What? I thought you wanted to come to Fairy Tail. Was I wrong?"

It was easy as brandishing a candy in front of a child's face at that point. Before she could even think of the consequences or convince herself not to, she was already on the streets with her body guard, shivering from a nervous thrill that tingled up her spine.

"What? O-of course I want to go!"

"Then come with me!"

From that point on it had been a careful display of climbing from her balcony and down the trellis, following ledges and other alcoves that Lucy was used to Natsu magically knowing about. Half the time, she wondered if he was more animal than mage, but had been too excited to even question him then either, or yell at him for carrying her out of her room in such a fashion. It was a definite trick and she wasn't sure if she should interrupt his current battle with a well-aimed glass thrown at his face or just groan and slam her head against the counter.

She chose the latter and deeply wished that none of these mages passed the word to her father that she had been inside the one thing in Magnolia that he wished to be rid of.

"Oh my, are you feeling well, dear?"

With a jolt, Lucy lifted her head and met the eyes of the bartender, a tall, elegant woman with white hair that cascaded down her shoulders. For a brief moment, she almost thought it was her handmaiden, Lisanna, that greeted her, but she stopped herself before she made the mistake of saying it out loud. This woman was clearly older, though the resemblance was striking. It took her a few moments of surprise to realize she was gawking and a red hue graced her face: now she was just being rude.

"Oh er, yes, I'm fine!" She said with a little too much enthusiasm and briefly wondered where her sense of propriety went to: That form of response was anything, but intelligent. "I'm just a little overwhelmed is all."

The concerned smile the woman gave her turned to a soft one that filled Lucy with friendly warmth. "I see, that normally happens to those who first come here, but don't worry, you get used to it."

A crash behind Lucy told her that whatever fight her bodyguard had started had just reached the point where chairs were being cracked and she winced. "Even that?" She quieried, still shocked that nothing had been done to stop them.

"Oh, that's just them having fun," the woman said airily, clearly not worried. "They have to let out their pent up energy somehow, and most of the time they can't do that while sparring at the castle. Things are too linear there, wouldn't you agree?" When Lucy stuttered out an agreement, still too stunned to know exactly what to say, the woman covered her mouth and gasped, "Oh I'm sorry! I didn't insult you somehow did I?"

"No, why would that insult me?" Lucy asked, confused by the sudden change in conversation. Why would this woman talking about the stuffiness of the castle offend her? Even she knew it could get nerve-wracking to be in a constant state of reserved tact.

"Oh well, since you've lived there all your life, I figured you might not want to hear it insulted... I mean, you are the Princess after all."

If Lucy had been drinking the small drink she had been given earlier, she would have choked on it. "P-princess?! I.. I'm not-" She couldn't finish her sentence before the woman giggled and covered her mouth with a finger.

"Shhh, calm down- of course you're the princess. Natsu has been talking about bringing you here for months and its only naturally we would recognize you. Most of us work there after-all!" Seeing how tense the royal's shoulders had become, she continued in a softer voice. "Don't you worry, none of us are going to tell- we're happy you're here!"

"Y...you are?" To say the least, Lucy was stunned.

The woman smiled and confirmed, "Of course we are. Now, Lucy, you may call me Mirajane. I run Fairy Tail while the tavern master is busy and am more than happy to make you feel at home here!"

Just like that, Lucy's reserve fell and she found herself lost within conversation with the barmaid that passed the time in comfort until she was surprised to find herself in the middle of a group of mages, talking excitedly to her. Apparently, Mirajane had not been lying, having the princess there with them was more than welcomed- in fact, they were excited about it.

"It must be difficult to have a body guard as useless at Natsu." Some told her and it usually ended in the very same body guard butting in to defend himself. Others were interested in the very thing she kept quiet about- her own magic. She couldn't even bring herself to be angry when she heard Natsu had already told them she could cast it.

"It's rare to see Celestial Wizards these days, it's a shame you have to hide it back at the castle," A few of the older mages told her as they walked by to greet her, "but don't you worry about that, you can cast all you want here, and none of us will complain!"

She was much too surprised to tell them that she hadn't even brought her keys- they very things she needed for her magic, but was happy nonetheless by their enthusiasm. She hardly had the time to feel strange by their openness towards her, none called her by her title and all treated her as if they had been friends for years. By the time it was too late to be considered night anymore, Lucy had become so relaxed that she hardly noticed morning would be soon. This must be why Natsu was always late in greeting her in the mornings. With a place as comfortable as this, why would anyone want to leave?

Lucy's eyes were heavy and her head nodded by the time things started to calm down. Mirajane had disappeared by then, somewhere off in the room, cleaning off tables, and a lot of the patrons were passed out in their chairs or mildly chatting. Most of them had left to thier beds. At some point in time, she had noticed Lisanna talking with many of the patrons as well, but the handmaiden had left far earlier than everyone else, with an oversized man who sported the same hair color as her and Mirajane. Lucy considered if maybe they were related somehow, but she was far too enamored by the scent and coolness of the counter to care. It smelled crisp and clean and unlike the alcohol that had been passed around and her mind was having a difficult time processing all the things she had seen that night.

"Oi, Luce, are you doing okay?" She barely heard the voice of Natsu as he came up behind her and mumbled a reply. "I knew you'd have fun here, but you're looking tired..." She tried to face him when he placed a hand on her shoulder, but for some reason the world moved slowly for her and the counter suddenly smelled of grass and prairie winds and his voice as it said her name caressed her like a strong wind. "Lucy? Hey Lucy!"

"Oh, try to be quiet, Natsu, can't you see the poor thing has fallen asleep?"

Natsu blinked and leaned around his charge to see her face, covered in strands of blonde and pressed against flat surface. He let loose a laugh when he heard the deep breathing and intake of air. The Princess of Fiore had, indeed, fallen asleep where she sat, in a bar full of drunken morons. "Guess that means I have to carry her to her room," he opined with a shrug.

With a sudden look of seriousness, he turned to Mirajane and asked quietly, "Is Happy and the others back?"

The barmaid stopped her sweeping and moved to put the broom up behind the counter, "He is, but not the other two. Do you want me to get him? He was so tired when he returned that I didn't have the heart to wake him earlier..."

"Damn, guess that means Gajeel is still busy and Wendy too. Yeah, go ahead and get him, I have to give him something."

"Another message?"

When the fire-mage stayed uncharacteristically silent, she nodded her head and disappeared to the back rooms. Left alone with many loud snores behind him and a sleeping Princess beside him, he quickly moved her to an easier position so he could pick her up and withdrew a paper from his jacket. By the time he had Lucy secured on his back, her face nestled into the crook of his neck, Mirajane returned with a ball of blue fur nestled sleepily in her arms.

She took one look at the Princess sprawled on the Bodyguards back and held back a giggle. "That's cute, Natsu, but you best not drop her."

"Not gonna' happen," He responded, eyes trained on the tuft of blue she carried and hardly noticing her never-ending stare at the blonde currently breathing in his ear. "Hey, wake up buddy." He held Lucy with one arm and prodded the blue fur Mirajane held with the other and grinned when ball of fur stretched and let loose a big yawn. Wiping at bleary eyes, the blue cat Mirajane held slowly sat up and glanced around, his eyes widening upon noticing Natsu.

"Oh, Natsu! You're here!" He said brightly, voice far louder than it should be. Many men snorted in thier sleep and Lucy let loose a moan. Mirajane quickly shushed the cat and he lowered his ears. "But Mira, I haven't seen him in a week!"

Natsu grinned and patted the cat on the head. "I missed you too buddy, but I gotta' go back to the castle. Do you know why Lily and Carla haven't come back yet?"

The cat yawned again, but shook his head, "They had other things to do." He said, but became distracted when he finally noticed the girl Natsu was holding up. "Oh! That's her isn't it? Why didn't you wake me sooner, I wanted to meet her!"

"He didn't know you were here, Happy," Mirajane supplied, but the cat wasn't having it.

"Natsu, you always ask for me first, why are you hogging her all to yourself?"

"I'm not!" The guard spluttered, but the cat continued.

"You're so mean, why couldn't I meet Lucy?"

He shook his head, perplexed and muttered a quiet apology that wasn't as heartfelt as cat would have wanted it, but he accepted it nonetheless when Natsu held out the paper he had grabbed earlier. "Look, you'll meet her next time, little buddy. Right now I need you to get this to pops, got it?"

Understanding dawned in his eyes and the cat quickly hopped to the counter and accepted the paper. "Aye! He was wondering when you'd have something new to tell him, you're so useless sometimes..."

"Hey!"

"Boys," Mirajane stressed, motioning to the girl still sleeping on his back.

"Oh right, sorry." He shifted his weight and placed his free arm back to help support the sleeping girl again and grinned. "Well, think you can get it to him and be back in two days? I swear I'll be here."

"You can count on me, Natsu!" The cat saluted, more than happy to have a job assigned to him.

"Thanks." With a nod of good night to Mirajane, the bodyguard turned and made his way through the rabble to exit the bar, hardly encumbered by the sleeping girl even as she shifted and muttered against him.

Mirajane stopped him before he walked out the door, "You'll bring her back, won't you?" She asked, "The poor thing seemed so happy to be here and I'd love to get to know her better."

He kept his back to her and stayed silent for a few moments. The seconds ticked by and the barmaid pouted right along with the cat. Why must he always get so serious when he sent a message to his father? Before she could voice the complaint, however, he turned his head to look at her with one eye, a wide smile on his face that did nothing to hide the fangs.

"That's the plan!" He smirked before leaving the bar with a kick at the door. It was a few minutes longer before Mirajane decided she had better continue cleaning again and Happy watched her from the counter with a curious expression on his face.

"Do you think he'll tell her?" He asked after a few minutes of silence, getting bored.

She didn't slow in her work, but she did grab a fish from one of her many magically cooled containers and hand it to the cat as she moved by. He happily consumed it in earnest, but kept his eyes focused on her, awaiting her answer.

"Of course not, you know he can't." She answered sadly. Happy nodded and resumed eating the fish he had been given. She was right, and he knew it, but sometimes he wished things were easier. He'd like to be able to see Natsu more often than just twice a week or less after all.

"Maybe she'll find out on her own." He mused, glancing at the paper he would deliver after his breakfast.

Mirajane hummed and shook her head, "I sincerely, hope not. That could end badly."

The cat was far too busy with his meal to respond and the conversation ended with a heavy feeling in the air. Mirajane continued her humming and silently hoped Natsu returned the Princess safely and that King Jude never found out. That could end badly too, after all. She continued her sweeping.

_To be continued..._


End file.
